Cardinal DiNardo among those to pick new Pope

By Cindy Horswell

Updated 2:12 pm, Monday, February 11, 2013

Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo says a blessing before the start of the 8th Annual Steps for Students 5K Run/Walk Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, in Houston.

Photo: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle

Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo says a blessing before the start of the...

Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston Houston Cardinal Daniel DiNardo speaks during a press conference by Interfaith Leaders Urge Support for Just Resolution at the Chancery of Galveston-Houston to express their support of an end to the recent strike of involving Houston janitors, janitorial contractors and area building owners Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston Houston...

Craig Biggio chats with Cardinal Daniel DiNardo before the start of an MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park on Friday, Sept. 21, 2012, in Houston.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, right, called George Sheltz's ordination "a gracious act of the Holy Father to give us a native son."

Photo: Michael Paulsen

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, right, called George Sheltz's ordination...

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo greets people before the start of the ordination ceremony making Houston native George Arthur Sheltz a Catholic bishop at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Wednesday, May 2, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Michael Paulsen, Houston Chronicle

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo greets people before the start of the...

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo says the Obama compromise on the contraceptive aspect of the health care mandate could be a step forward, but concerns remain.

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Cardinal Daniel DiNardo – the first ever cardinal from the southern United States who also oversees the Houston-Galveston diocese – will be among the select few to not only chose the next pope but be a possible candidate.

But a betting website, paddypower.com, gave him only 100 to 1 odds of being picked as the pope's successor from among the 54 possible candidates the site listed. DiNardo ranked 12th from the bottom, with Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana ranked first with 3 to 1 odds.

DiNardo, 62, is one of only 118 cardinals worldwide who are just one step below the pope.

Pope Benedict XVI made the surprise announcement that he will be resigning Feb. 28. The 85-year-old pope stated that "my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the petrine ministry." The College of Cardlinals will hold a conclave in the Sistine Chapel with hopes to chose a new pope by Easter.

This marks the first time in 600 years that a pope has chosen to resign. The last one was Pope Gregory XII in 1415 who stepped aside when two men were claiming the right to the papal throne.

Benedict was the one who elevated DiNardo to the position of cardinal in 2007. DiNardo was recognized for encouraging rapid growth in church membership of the Houston-Galveston dioscese which is the largest and oldest in Texas with 1.2 million members.

Last March, DiNardo had a 35-minute visit with the pope during Holy Week in Rome. He said then that it was part of a tradition in which cardinals report on the condition of their local church every five years.

After the meeting, he said the discussion surrounded the pope's pleasure in the growth of his Texas' diocese. He was particularly pleased in seeing the growth of young people and those coming from multi-cultural backgrounds.

In the past, DiNardo has also clearly supported Benedict in his handling of one of the darkest chapters in the church's history– the priest sex scandals. Benedict once headed the agency responsible for defrocking priests who abuse their office.

DiNardo has stated in the past that any "headlines insinuating inaction or culpability" by the pope in this crisis are "unfair and inaccurate."